Friday Evenings at the Philadelphia Museum of Art opens the new year with a series of
weekly jazz performances. The Museum recently extended its hours, giving visitors the option to
begin their weekend—on Fridays until 8:45 p.m.—with a program of music and table service in
the Great Stair Hall in addition to the experience of 200 galleries that house a vast collection of
art from around the world.

“Many potential visitors find it difficult to get away to a museum on weekdays and would
love the option to drop by after work. With this in mind, in addition to our popular Wednesday
Nights series, we’re now keeping our doors open late on Fridays and turning the Great Stair Hall
into a ‘jazz café’” said Gail Harrity, Chief Operating Officer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
“We hope that people will relish the opportunity to visit on Friday evenings to see galleries they
may have missed on prior visits and to hear top-notch jazz in an incomparable setting that
possesses a special ambiance. In its own way, we think Friday Evenings will become as popular
as Wednesday Nights.”

The extended hours include two gallery tours, at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., spotlighting
different aspects of the Museum’s collection. Against the backdrop of music, museumgoers can
also enjoy the season’s exhibitions and installations, including Dox Thrash: An African
American Master Printmaker Rediscovered (through February 24), West Meets East: China and
Japan at the Centennial Exhibition (through June), and Barnett Newman (March 24 -July 7). All
200 of the Museum’s galleries will be open on Friday evenings and, as the Museum is one of the
world’s finest encyclopedic art destinations, a stroll through the collections can always be filled
with surprises and discoveries. To name a few:

Experience the dramatic “Walk Through Time” offered by the impressive
installations of monumental architecture and historic rooms on the second floor, from
the Japanese Tea House to the Indian Temple Hall, to the Medieval Cloister, to the
kitchen of an early Pennsylvania German home.

Find a knight in shining armor amid a superb collection of European arms and armor.
Considered one of the finest in the Western Hemisphere and housed in a gallery
overlooking the Schuylkill River, this collection contains armor worn for jousting,
battles and tournaments—and even a battle hood tailored for a falcon.

Contemplate the adventurous works of 20th-century masters such as Picasso,
Duchamp, Brancusi, and Miró. Enter the striking realm of Fifty Days at Iliam, a tenpart
painting executed by Cy Twombly in homage to Homer’s Iliad, for which the
Museum has devoted a gallery in collaboration with the artist.

Within the Museum’s exceptional setting, prominent and emerging jazz artists from
around the world perform every Friday evening. From the trombone improvisations of Wycliffe
Gordon’s Trio ("as exciting as it gets” – says The New York Times) on January 11, to the nimble
hands of Fred Hersch (“a poet of a pianist” – declares The New Yorker), concluding the season
on June 21, the January-to-June program offers a stellar musical line-up. Other highlights include
saxophonist Steve Wilson, best known as a sideman in Chick Corea’s Origins (January 25);
1970’s six-string legend Pat Martino, continuing an inspirational comeback after a near-fatal
brain aneurysm which forced him to relearn the guitar (February 1); jazz vocalist and pianist
Andy Bey whose four-octave range has impressed fans and peers alike for over fifty years
(March 15); and pianist Danilo Pérez, recently named Cultural Ambassador to Panama (May 31).

The Museum Restaurant is open for Friday Evenings (last reservation at 7:30 p.m.). In
addition, a full cash bar and an à la carte menu of appetizers, small sandwiches, and desserts is
available with table service in the Great Stair Hall.

Admission:
Pay what you wish on Sundays, all day, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
$10 for adults; $7 for students with I.D., children 13-18, and senior citizens (62 and
over); children 12 years old and younger are admitted free at all times.

Parking on the terrace level outside the Museum is free on Fridays.

Support for Friday Evenings at the Philadelphia Museum of Art has been provided by The
Christian R. and Mary F. Lindbach Foundation.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is Philadelphia's art museum. We are a landmark building. A world-renowned collection. A place that welcomes everyone. We bring the arts to life, inspiring visitors—through scholarly study and creative play—to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone. We connect people with the arts in rich and varied ways, making the experience of the Museum surprising, lively, and always memorable. We are committed to inviting visitors to see the world—and themselves—anew through the beauty and expressive power of the arts.

For additional information, contact the Communications Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art phone at
215-684-7860, by fax at 215-235-0050, or by e-mail at pressroom@philamuseum.org. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street. For general information, call (215) 763-8100.